The South African non-profit organization MonkeyBiz brings its Oprah-endorsed philanthropy to Toronto via the local group Eat My Words. Fuelled by ceramic artists Barbara Jackson and Shirley Fintz, MonkeyBiz offers employment to underprivileged women in Cape Town through traditional beadwork. The women, who work from home, are supplied with the materials and paid for each doll they produce. As this exhibit at Ingram Gallery demonstrates, the creations are one of a kind and loaded with colour and whimsy. Artwork $50–$1,000

David Balzer
Toronto Life, May 2009

CBC Arts reporter Jelena Adzic

Special Guest, Stephen Lewis, Board Chair of The Stephen Lewis Foundation, and the former U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, joined us to say a few words about The Foundation and its amazing initiatives at the grass roots level in Southern Africa.